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Home / Animal Groups / Rodents

Animal Group: Rodents

Rodents, like mice and rats, are popular models for biomedical research due to their anatomical, physiological and genetic similarities to humans. Some advantages for using rodents include ease of maintenance, their small size, and short life cycles that enable researchers to study the full course of diseases and therapies.

Another plus is that mice and rats offer an abundance of genetic resources.  Mice share almost 95% of their genes with humans. Their genome is well known and able to be manipulated so that models of specific human diseases may be studied.

Because of these characteristics, mice continue to play a vital part in the discovery and development of treatments and cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many infectious diseases.

Other rodents needed for research include hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, and chinchillas.

Did you Know?

Guinea pigs have contributed to 23 Nobel prizes for medicine.

Shrews are easily startled and will jump, faint, or drop dead at a sudden noise.

A Shrew must eat 80-90 % of their own body weight in food daily.

Guinea pig studies lead to the discovery of Vitamin C, the tuberculosis bacterium and adrenaline.

About 10% of rat genes are shared in mice but absent in humans.

Studies needing mice were awarded 30 Nobel prizes.

30 Nobel Prizes needed rats for the awarded contribution to science.

Rats have been invaluable to cardiovascular medicine, neural regeneration, wound healing, diabetes and transplantation.

A rat can fall as far as 50 feet and land unharmed.

Explore Rodents by Species

Mouse Thumbnail

Mouse

Mice are pivotal in medical progress, facilitating treatments for cancer, heart disease, neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's, and psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and schizophrenia. Read More →

Rat Thumbnail

Rat

Rats are essential models in research, aiding studies in physiology, immunology, pharmacology, nutrition, behavior, and learning, leading to medical advancements in obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, and immune-related diseases. Read More →

Hamster Thumbnail

Hamster

Hamsters play a crucial role in various research areas like cancer, reproduction, virology, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases due to their physiological similarities to humans, particularly in lipid metabolism and atherogenesis. Read More →

Guinea Pig Thumbnail

Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs, resembling humans in bacterial infection symptoms and immune response, have aided research for over 200 years, advancing treatments for lung, ear, eye, artery, stomach, intestine diseases, including tuberculosis. Read More →

Chinchilla Thumbnail

Chinchilla

Chinchillas serve as vital models for auditory system research due to their physiological similarities to humans, aiding advancements in acoustic studies and offering insights into middle ear infections and other areas like respiratory infections and ototoxicity. Read More →

Japanese shrew Thumbnail

Japanese shrew

The Japanese Shrew serves as a crucial model for Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency (CSID), mirroring symptoms seen in humans, aiding research into digestion disorders affecting both infants and adults. Read More →

Animals in Research

Acclimating Mice to Cupped Handling

Mice are acclimated to handing to reduce stress and increase animal welfare. The cupped handling technique provides the opportunity for the mouse…

Animals in Research

Acclimating Mice to Tunnel Handling

The tunnel handling technique provides a safe, comfortable way for mice to be picked up and moved to another enclosure or procedure…

Animals in Research

Mouse Igloos to Promote Natural Behaviors and Safe Social Housing

Plastic igloos, such as the one pictured here, provide mice the opportunity to carry out natural behaviors like concealing themselves. They also…

Animals in Research

Baby Rat Health Check

All research animals, from tiny fish to curious monkeys,  receive daily health checks. Pictured here are two baby rats being evaluated by…

Animals in Research

Handling Hamsters

Hamsters involved in research are gently handled by animal caretakers on a regular basis so they can grow accustomed to human interaction.…

Animals in Research

Mice in Vaccine Research

Mice are the most common species involved in vaccine research. Of course, a mouse is not a human, but researchers are very…

Animals in Research

Golden syrian hamster in a tube

Golden Syrian hamsters are susceptible to a virus called SV40 which is related to human-associated viruses in a family called polyomaviruses.  SV40…

Animals in Research

Japanese shrew

This Japanese shrew is helping to treat Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency (CSID). He eats a special diet that was also fed to his…

Animals in Research

Immunodeficient mouse with caretaker

Immunodeficient mice, like this one, need specialized care to ensure their health is not compromised. They are important for several research areas…

Animals in Research

Twirl

Twirl is a rat within a training colony at a research facility.  Her job is to help researchers become comfortable around rats…

Animals in Research

Shrew in a tube

This Japanese shrew lives in a large shoe box cage, with many tubes and nesting material for him to find shelter. He…

View More Rodents

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